Method of making swimming pools



1969 M. H. SCHROEDER 3,420,062

METHOD OF MAKING SWIMMING POOLS Filed May 2, 1966 MARTm H. scma oemea BY M INVENTOR.

ToK/Vq United States Patent Ofiice 3,420,062 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 3,420,062 METHOD OF MAKING SWIMMING POOLS Martin H. Schroeder, 904 N. Lyndale, Faribault, Minn. 55021 Filed May 2, 1966, Ser. No. 547,021 US. Cl. 61-1 Int. Cl. E02b 1/00; E02b 3/00; E02b 11/00 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to swimming pools, reservoirs and the like and more particularly it has reference to a method for making the same.

Swimming pools, reservoirs and the like are usually constructed by making an excavation in the ground and lining it with some material such as concrete, ceramics or steel. Constructions of such types are not only expensive to build but are also expensive to maintain because of damage caused in various ways such as by ice, heaving of the ground due to frost and settling of the ground. With swimming pools, it is especially desirable to maintain a substantially normal water level in the pool so that foreign matter which collects on the surface can be removed through a scum gutter. It is also desirable to maintain a normal water level in a swimming pool as a safety measure so that users of the pool will not underestimate its depth at various locations.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive yet efiicient method for making a swimming pool or the like which will overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and provide a very satisfactory pool or the like. A further object is to provide an improved method of making a swimming pool or the like in which a substantially normal level of water may be maintained with a minimum of care and expense. These and other objects and advantages will be more fully described hereinafter.

According to the invention, a test hole is dug in the ground at the desired location of the swimming pool or the like. The test hole is dug to a depth which extends substantially below the natural water table so that fluctuations in the height of the water table may be observed over an extended period of time to thereby ascertain the normal or optimum height of the water table. The pool is then formed by excavating the ground to the desired area and shape and to a depth which extends below the optimum height of the water table so that the normal level of water in the pool will be substantially coincident with the normal or optimum height of the water table. Suitable means are provided for adding or removing water from the pool so as to compensate for fluctuations in the height of the water table and maintain a substantially normal level of water in the pool. Fluctuations in the normal level of water in the pool will be also be caused by loss of water through evaporation and by loss of water during the operation of backwashing the filters.

The figure of the drawing illustrates schematically the use of a test hole in making a swimming pool or the like in accordance with my method.

In the practice of my invention, a test hole is dug in the ground G at a selected location for a swimming pool or the like. The hole 10' is dug deep enough to make certain that it will extend well below the normal or optimum height of the natural water table. The height of the water table will vary according to the amount of rainfall, with a dry season causing a low water table and a wet season a higher water table. In order to determine the normal or most frequently occurring height of the water table, which is herein termed the optimum level, the fluctuations in the height of the water table are observed and recorded over an extended period of time such as about twelve months, for example. As shown on the drawing, the low level of the water table may, for example, be indicated at C, the upper level at A and the normal or optimum level at B.

When the optimum level of the water table has thusly been determined, the ground is excavated to provide a pool P of the desired area, shape and depth. The excavation is made so that the normal level of water in the finished pool -will be substantially coincident with the optimum level or height of the water table. As indicatedv on the drawing, the normal water level 11 of the finished pool is substantially coincident with the optimum level B of the water table, as determined by observing the fluctuations in water table height in the test hole 10.

As is customary, the excavation may be made so that the pool P will have a bottom 12 which slopes gradually from the shallow portion to the deeper portion. The bottom of the pool may be covered with a layer of sand, fine gravel or the like. A layer of sand may cover the beach area of ground 13 which surrounds the pool P and slopes downwardly from ground level to the curbing 14 which extends around the pool. Positioned below the ground and at each end of the pool adjacent to the curbing 14 is a pipe 15 having a plurality of spaced outlet pipes 16 leading into the pool so that by means of a cooperating pump, not shown, water may be removed from or added to the pool so as to maintain the normal level of water therein.

A successful swimming pool was constructed in accordance with the invention by digging a test hole about 20 feet deep and well below the normal height of the water table at the selected site for the pool. The fluctuations in the height of the water table within the test hole were observed over an extended period of time i.e. about 10-12 months. From these observations, it was determined that the most frequently occurring height of the water table, herein termed the optimum level, was about 5 feet below the surface of the ground. The pool was made by excavating the ground so that the normal level of the water in the pool would be substantially in the same horizontal plane as the optimum level of the water table namely, 5 feet below the surface of the ground. As the excavation was made, inflowing water was pumped out in order to facilitate excavation operations.

The pool has a substantially rectangular shape with a length of 360 feet and a width of 230 feet. The bottom of the pool gradually slopes downwardly and inwardly from a depth of about 4 inches to the swimming area which has a depth of 4 to 5 feet. Centrally disposed adjacent one side of the pool is a 40 x feet diving area which is 12 feet in depth. Adjacent each end of the pool is an underground 6" pipe from which ten spaced 2" pipes extend into the pool. By means of this piping and a suitable pump, not shown, water may be added to or removed from the pool. Surrounding the pool and extending upwardly from the curbing at the edge of the pool for a distance of 50- feet is a sand covered beach area. Suitable water filtering and treatment means are provided in accordance with public health regulations.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that -I am able to attain the objects of my invention and provide an improved method for making a swimming pool or the like. It will, of course, be obvious that a swimming pool or the like can be made with a minimum of expense by the use of my method. Since the normal level of the pool lies entirely below the water table, the pool gradually fills in with underground water. However, if the water table is lower than usual, additional water may be pumped in from a well and if too much water flows into the pool the surplus can be readily removed. Hence, the level of water in the pool may be maintained substantially constant with a minimum of care. In winter when the ground is frozen and the water table is low, any ice which forms will be at some distance from the curbing and hence will cause no damage thereto.

I claim:

1. The method of making a swimming pool on a selected piece of ground comprising digging a hole in the ground to a depth below the existing water table and determining the normal water level of said table, then setting the area of the pool on said selected piece of ground, excavating said area to desired pool depths below said normal water level while simultaneously removing infiowing ground water encountered, preparing a finished bottom for said excavation, permitting ground water to enter and filling said excavation to.a level coincident with the normal level of the table, and finally maintaining the coincident level by the addition or removal of a quantity of water as may be necessary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the normal water level is determined by registering the fluctuations of the water table level over an extended period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the excavation of said ground is made at depths which vary selectively throughout the area excavated whereby the distance to the finished bottom varies from the coincident water level.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 734,045 7/1903 Castleman 61l EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 6l10 

